#kyus posts

"Come on, Saihara-chan! It isn't going to be that hard!" Kokichi grumbled, tugging him by his sleeve. The latter was somewhat in a conflict with himself. A part of him wanted to join Kokichi in his antics for the better of their date, while the other half wanted to save himself the embarrassment. The pair had been walking around town after dinner for their first date when Kokichi had spotted a local outdoor ice skating rink.

 It was winter after all, he expected to see as much. But he had never gone ice skating before, and frankly, he was more than nervous to start on his first date. 

 Shuichi flickered his eyes to the side, contemplating heavily whether or not he'd go through with it. "I-I don't know Kokichi. What if we get hurt? Plus, I don't know how."

 "That's what I'm here for, silly! Come on! Don't be such a stick in the mud, Saihara-chan." His eyes pleaded with Shuichi, Kokichi tippy toeing with his hand now placed fully on his arm. Shuichi lifted his head as high as he could to avoid any eye contact. But a quick glance downward made him lose all sense of willpower. 

 Their eyes locked and he knew immediately he had caved. He groaned, tilting his head back in immediate regret. "Fine!" 

 Kokichi grinned wickedly, his cold hand wrapping around Shuichi's sweater as he dragged him over to the rink. "I knew you'd cave."

 The rink was filled with a variety of people. From old to young, tall to small, couples to families, there was a lot of people there. A few of them looked so graceful on the ice, skating like it was instinct. It was definitely a sight to see.

 Maybe this wasn't half as bad as he had initially pictured it to be.

 Saihara smiled as he noticed a family holding their child's hand, skating slowly over to the walls with grins on their faces. 

 Shuichi looked up slightly as Kokichi dragged him over to the registration. Above the rink were fairy lights, both blue and gold, which were strung up by the surrounding street lights. Speakers were also aligned near the lights themselves, blasting Christmas classics. 

 They had finally reached the registration. They paid their fee and grabbed skates in their sizes. A bench had been near the registration, allowing for both of them to put on their skates. 

 He could feel anxiety begin to pool at the bottom of his stomach the minute he had begun lacing up the skates. It was just ice skating. How bad could it be? Besides, he's here with Kokichi. He should allow himself to let loose a bit.

 "You ready?" Kokichi grinned proudly, his hands balled up at his sides. Shuichi gulped before nodding, taking Kokichi by his hand and following his lead into the rink. Kokichi started slowly, inching his way onto the ice and allowing Saihara more room to follow along.

 "Let's start near the wall first, yeah?"

 "Yeah." 

 "Okay." Kokichi tugged Shuichi by his hand, making him jolt forward and face first onto the ice. The ice was cold against his face, and it was not smooth either, it was rather rough. He knew this wasn't Kokichi's fault, so he didn't mind. He just didn't expect the ice to be that slippery.

 "Holy shit!" Kokichi laughed, helping Shuichi up with his hand. "Are you okay?" He continued laughing as Shuichi attempted to steady himself against the wall. Shuichi laughed along with him, "I'm fine."

 "I shouldn't have tugged you that hard, my bad. I didn't expect you to faceplant straight away."

 "How are you still standing?"

 "This isn't my first time 'round these parts. Just… shift your weight to your heels and you'll be fine."

 Kokichi took him by the hand, feeling his face heat up as he intertwined their fingers. "I'll skate with you so you don't fall." Shuichi stared down at Kokichi, feeling his heart warm despite the cold air surrounding him. Kokichi was really cute under all of this lighting now that he thought about it.

 And in the midst of his staring session, a bit of snow had begun falling down gently. The small snowflakes laid down gently on Kokichi's messy hair, some dissolving and others remained untouched. He gazed up at the snow, using his free hand to catch a few snowflakes. 

 Shuichi thought he looked really pretty. 

 He found himself blushing at the smaller male, feeling his heart pick up speed when Kokichi innocently glanced back at him. "Pretty." He spoke softly. Kokichi tilted his head, before smiling. He used Shuichi's arm to steady himself as he tiptoed to wipe away the excess snow that had fallen on his hair. "The snow? Yeah, it is."

 "I wasn't talking about the snow. I was talking about you." 

 Kokichi slowly retracted his hand, now blushing back a bit in return. He wasn't expecting that answer. Kokichi turned to the side swiftly, his back now facing Shuichi. Shuichi couldn't see it, but he had his face buried deep in his scarf, face redder than an ornament. 

 He stuck out his hand one more time, "Let's just skate, alright?"

 Shuichi stared at his hand, and then back at him. He grinned and took it, intertwining their fingers as he skated a bit forward. 

 The rest of the date went smoothly. Shuichi was thankful he was a quick learner. He was a bit wobbly at first, but that later turned into him becoming more and more stable. They left the rink eventually once everyone else had left. 

 The two laughed together, stumbling down the street leading to Kokichi's apartment. 

 "I still can't believe you accidentally pulled down that lady's scarf! Shumai, you're so clumsy!"

 "What do you mean me? You're the one who made that kid cry when you bumped into him!" 

 "That kid should've known better! That wasn't my fault in the slightest!" Kokichi said in between fits of laughter, wiping excess tears from his eyes as he stood on the steps of his front door. Shuichi's laughter eventually died down as well, wiping his own tears with the back of his finger. "Right, right."

 The two stood in a comfortable silence, grinning from ear to ear as Kokichi stood a step above Shuichi. "I had a lot of fun."

 "I did too. I didn't expect you to be so good at ice skating. Why didn't you tell me?" Shuichi smirked, playfully hitting Kokichi in the shoulder with his fist. "Because that's top secret information, Mister. And you better not tell anyone, got that?" Kokichi leaned forward, tugging him closer by his collar. "Heard loud and clear."

 Shuichi's expression softened when he noticed how close Kokichi was. He took a final step forward, practically pining Kokichi by his door. He towered over Kokichi, his hand firmly placed on the red door. He leaned forward, feeling Kokichi do the same as hands wrapped around his neck. 

 They shared a quick yet simple kiss. 

 Both smiling as they released on another from their grasp. Shuichi stepped down the stairs reluctantly, waving goodbye to Kokichi who had a lovestruck daze over his eyes. "I'll call you."

"Saihara-chan! Just the detective I've been looking for!" 

 Saihara raised an eyebrow from his book, staring into the purple eyes that beamed so bright and hopeful at him. "Yes?" He asked. He wasn't quite sure what Kokichi wanted. His facial expressions weren't any help either, but then again, they never really are. He could be saying one thing but mean the total opposite. Whatever it was, it wasn't any good he bet. 

 "I need you, my beloved Shumai, to go and investigate a place with me." 

 Huh? That was certainly an… unusual request. Regardless, he pressed forward in order to get to the real deal. "A place?" The question came out more like a statement but the latter continued and answered. "Yes! It's a super super duper secret place that I really want you to come look at with me! Please?" He pleaded further, clasping both his hands together while his eyes were in puppy dog mode. 

 Well, he had no reason to object, and his curiosity seemed to get the best of him yet again. Besides, he trusted Kokichi. 

 For the most part.

 Kokichi was pretty playful in nature. Despite saying malicious things, Shuichi knew he would never act on them. Kokichi wasn't that type of person. He sighed, setting down his book on the table in front of him. "Fine. Uhm, right now?"

 "Absolutely. Come on, I'll lead the way." He giggled, taking the detective by his wrist and leading him out of the room which they were in before. Shuichi swore he saw Kokichi smirk but maybe he was just seeing things. He followed the smaller leader for what seemed like hours. Though, it was only an hour but it still took forever. The place was hidden, well, sort of. It was some sort of alleyway in between two stores. The area was definitely sketchy, but lively.

 Shuichi felt uncomfortable. "Uh, Kokichi? Where are we?" He spoke up, timidity arising in his voice as he nervously glanced around as Kokichi paid no mind to his apparent hesitancy. He knocked on the door in what he could only assume was a pattern. He remained silent as Kokichi held his hand in his, beads of sweat forming in his palm as his nervousness had begun to dwell on him. 

 There was a slit on the metal door that had opened only a bit to peer at the two. "Red scroll, yellow scroll, blue scroll." He spoke, earning a raise from Saihara. Was that some sort of pass code? A Japanese tongue twister? The person behind the door nodded and opened the door after sliding the open slit closed. Kokichi turned towards Shuichi and flashed a toothy grin. He had a bad feeling about this. "Well, come on in."

 Shuichi felt Kokichi release his hand as he waltzed into the suspicious room nonchalantly. The room had posters as well as graffiti on the inside with pink fluorescent lights. Where exactly was this place?

 He walked in and noticed the room was somewhat empty other than a few desks and a bookshelf pushed up against the wall. The person that held the door open was in a clown mask and had a scarf and an outfit very similar to Kokichi. They had a red afro that was almost cartoonish to a degree. He waved gently at the figure who in turn, waved back. The latter shut the door and locked it with the hatchet that was attached.

 Kokichi walked over to the bookshelf and pulled on a book. Shuichi was startled with the shelf had begun retracting to the side, leading to a secret passageway. "After you." Kokichi teased, motioning for Shuichi to walk inside of the darkened area. Shuichi complied and walked inside, Kokichi and the other person following him inside. He walked through the hall and noticed it was… like a hideout.

 Like a stereotypical movie villain hideout but it wasn't. Sure, it may have looked the part from afar but you could see most of the "villain" aspects of the lair were props. The room had a mix of blue and white lights. Kokichi skipped in front of the group and held his hands open wide. "Welcome to the D.I.C.E. headquarters!"

 Shuichi took a look around and saw eight other (he assumed) members who were in similar outfits as the person behind him. They joined him and took off their mask, as did the others except one. "Kokichi, why am I here?"

 "See, I knew you'd ask that. So… I lied!"

 Of course.

 "I knew that if I told you where we were going, you'd say: "Aw man, sorry. Maybe next time." or some shit like that!" He rolled his eyes and collapsed down onto the dark greenish couch in the corner beside the door. "Right…" He trailed off and glanced around the members. 

 So they are real then. Interesting.

 "Oh! How rude of me. I should introduce everyone to you!" Kokichi sprung up from the couch, bits of the couch cushion springing from underneath him in all its yellow, fluffy glory. Kokichi took the detective by the hand once more and walked him over to the group who were greeting him with friendly smiles. Kokichi pointed first to a young girl with long brown hair and a braid to the side of her head, though she still wore her mask. He wondered why.

 "This is Two! She's not much of a talker but she's great at prank planning." Two waved, and Shuichi did the same. Next to her was another girl, she had an outfit similar to the rest but the only difference was she had cleavage showing. She was a bit taller than Two, maybe around two or three inches taller. "This is Three. She's basically our mom!"

 "Pleasure to meet you, hun." Three extended her hand with a grin. Shuichi shook her hand and moved along to the next, "He's Four. Prepare yourself." 

 "What?" Before he could process Ouma's warning, he felt a pair of large yet fluffy arms grip him and held him tight. Next thing he knew, he was in the air as Four hugged the life out of him. "So you're the famous one we've heard so much about huh?! Man, Boss does not shut up about ya!" His voice was loud yet joyful. He could see Kokichi in the corner of his eye begin to fluster, "Ahaha! Four! What are you talking about, you big goof?" His words were drawn out but still menacing. 

 Four blinked absentmindedly before making an "oh" sound and set down Shuichi. "Nothin' at all, Boss." 

 Shuichi held his suspicions but decided to ultimately drop it. "Anyway, that's Five, Six, Seven, Eight, and Nine." 

 "The one behind you is One."

 Shuichi stared as the group of misfits gathered in a circle, whispering amongst themselves. He couldn't help but somewhat admire what Kokichi had been doing. They all seemed like such a big and happy family. He was happy Kokichi had them. 

 The day continued. Shuichi and the rest of D.I.C.E. had played a bunch of games together and Shuichi (reluctantly,) ended up helping on planning for their next prank. Kokichi could see how brightly the detective shined. And in this train of thought, he pulled him aside. "Saihara-chan, you seem to be enjoying yourself."

 "Yeah, I really am." He giggled, glancing back at the others who were sat in a circle playing a round of Connect Four. His eyes then drew back to Kokichi, "They're all great. You know, you're a great leader. They seem to respect you a lot."

 Damnit, Shuichi. Why are you so unexpectedly smooth? The leader felt his cheeks turn red, "W-well yeah! But… you know, sometimes even leaders need breaks from their subordinates sometimes so…"

 "So?"

 "Would you mind… joining me and being my second in command?" Shuichi couldn't see much of his face, but he could tell he was red. Kokichi had one hand on his scarf, which had been brought up to his face and the other had been placed on his hip. His eyes were averted but Shuichi didn't mind. He smiled at Kokichi warmly as if he were the cutest thing he'd ever laid eyes on. 

 Shuichi said nothing and instead took this opportunity to untie Kokichi's scarf. The smaller male stared at him in confusion, watching as he wrapped the scarf around his own neck. Shuichi bent down a bit, tilting his chin upward with his thumb and index finger and kissed his lips gently.

The day started off as per usual, nothing too out of the ordinary. Though, one thing was different about today. It was a certain blonde pianists birthday. Shuichi and Kaede were always close, they trusted each other and told each other nearly everything. She was a great friend, and an equally great person. Shuichi had stayed up till midnight even to wish her a happy birthday. Of course, she thanked him and wished him well. But none of this seemed to suffice. He felt like he needed to do a bit more for her to truly show his appreciation and love. So he sat there, scrolling the internet endlessly looking for cake recipes. His fingers covered his lips as the other scrolled down the pages. 

 He needed the perfect cake. He had found some recipes that he liked but none of them fit his criteria. He needed something simple yet elegant, something to match her personality. After about a few silent minutes of going down pages and pages of internet baking goodness, he had finally found one. It was a nice two-layered chocolate cake—which was Kaede's favorite flavor. The recipe didn't seem too extravagant or unreasonably hard, same with the ingredients; either he had them or they weren't too hard to find.  He smiled victoriously before a frown could sneak its way onto his lips.

 He had forgotten he didn't know how to bake. 

 He knew someone who did however. He whipped out his phone, opening his texts. He bit his lip, debating if he really needed help. Hell, he needed it. He could barely cook himself breakfast without burning everything—he needed the help. Without another second thought, he texted Kokichi. Yes, Kokichi Ouma. Despite his whole character and attitude, he could bake and cook some delicious food. The boy was a natural. It confused everyone how someone like Kokichi could manage to make a delicious meal and then some, but he did. He'd probably know more about this recipe than Shuichi did, ultimately helping him land the role of the bestest friend ever. 

 He sent Kokichi the recipe along with a text asking if he would be able to help him with the cake. To his surprise, he responded rather fast with a simple "Okay, I'll help." Leave it to Kokichi to respond to messages lightening quick. 

 Shuichi smiled down at his phone while he responded to Kokichi, thanking him for his compliance. He let out a heavy sigh after he shut off his phone, giving a stretch as he switched off his computer. All he had to do now was to wait for him to show up.

 -

 "Hey, hey Saihara-chan! You ready to get baking?" The small boy greeted, clapping his hands together cheerfully. Shuichi nodded, closing the door behind him as he strolled himself inside. "Yeah. Again, thanks for helping me. I'm really grateful." 

 "Of course! I'm always happy to help Saihara-chan whenever he needs me!" That last comment made Shuichi a bit flustered. Was lying about things so trivial necessary? He guessed it was just his way of helping and pushed the comment a side nevertheless. He lead Ouma to the kitchen, a few groceries still unpacked on the counter tops. "Alrighty then, let's get to work." He rolled up his sleeves, making his way to the sink to wash his hands. "Shumai, mind pulling up the recipe for me?" He asked over his shoulder to Shuichi who had been unbagging the rest of the groceries. "Huh? Oh—Y-yeah, sure." He ran into his room to grab his laptop while Kokichi finished up washing his hands. The purple eyed teen dried his hands quickly while Shuichi rushed in the kitchen, the laptop nearly slipping in his hands. Kokichi couldn't help but let out a small giggle.

 "Here's the recipe. I got all of the ingredients beforehand so hopefully this will be enough—" He felt himself grow sweaty, he wasn't sure why he felt so anxious. Maybe it was because it was his first time baking for someone? Or maybe it was the fact that Kokichi was cutely giggling at him from across the room? No, it was probably the first one. "Saihara-chan, don't worry. It'll be okay. I won't screw up Akamatsu-chan's cake so don't get all nervous on me. I promise you I'll help make her the best cake!" He stuck out his pinky finger as Shuichi laid down his laptop. Shuichi shut himself up, immediately feeling somewhat relieved by the hand extended towards him.

 He was right. He needed to calm down. Shuichi extended his own finger and intertwined it with Kokichi's significantly smaller one. Shuichi smiled softly, "Sorry, sorry. Where do we start?"

 Kokichi released his finger, turning his gaze towards the lit up screen beside him. He mumbled to himself the ingredients, occasionally glancing up to see if the items they needed were present. He slowly counted each item down. Shuichi never knew he could look so focused. For once, his usual playful demeanor was dropped, and replacing it was a more serious and quiet one. It was admirable really. "Okay, I need you to preheat the oven to 350 degrees and to get your cake pans. I'll start measuring out the ingredients while you do that."

 Shuichi obediently nodded his head, "Right. Measuring tools are in the drawer to the left." Kokichi beamed, shooting him back a nod as well. The two did their parts, taking very tiny breaks in between to drink water or grab a snack if they needed one. After about an hour of organized cake baking, they managed to finish. "Annnnd done! We did it!" Kokichi laughed as he closed the oven. He jumped up and down in victory while Shuichi set a timer on his phone. "The timers set so we can clean up and then relax for a bit until it's done."

 "Sounds good." 

 Kokichi took out his phone, clicking a few buttons which eventually led to him playing some music. Shuichi didn't mind, they had a pretty similar music taste so it was fine. Shuichi grabbed a few discarded bags, wrapping them in a ball-like shape. He found himself singing to the lyrics of the song quietly as he did so. He turned over to his side to see Kokichi doing the same, except he had a full on concert. He had been air singing, dancing and everything. He had never seen something so funny in his life. He leaned against the kitchen's archway, crossing his arms as the petite boy danced and sang his heart out.

 Something inside him warmed as he looked at his smiling lips. He felt his heart beat faster, the warmth around his cheeks increasing the more he stared. "Having fun there, Ouma-kun?" He finally spoke, his voice catching the male off-guard. Kokichi stopped in his tracks, a trial of red crossed his cheeks. He froze, staring into Shuichi's eyes with embarrassment. "S-shit, uhm, I wasn't dancing. You didn't see that."

 "That was a bad lie, even for you."

 Kokichi buried his face inside his checkered scarf, unable to face a smirking Saihara. He remained quiet, the music still blasting from his phone. "It's okay, Ouma-kun. You don't need to be embarrassed."

 "Sh-shut up, will ya? I wasn't dancing…"

 Shuichi grinned as he stared down at the liar's blushing face. He noticed a tiny piece of flour stuck on his cheek. Without saying a word, he walked over the the flustered boy, and lifted his chin with his thumb and pointer finger. Using the same fingers, they travelled across his face towards his cheek. They were both silent, their faces inches apart. Kokichi nearly felt his heart stop working as his fingers made their way to his lips. Shuichi never realized how soft his lips were. He stared into his eyes, his purple irises greeting his grey ones. They soon flickered down towards his lips. They quivered under his touch. He played with them lightly, rubbing his bottom lip under his thumb. Kokichi's gaze stayed stuck on him, feeling unable to breathe or even move. 

 Shuichi had such a strong urge to wrap his hands around Kokichi and to pull him closer. He wasn't sure what he felt or why but the urge took over his body, controlling his every movement. He found his free arm snake its way around Kokichi's tiny waist. He could now sense his own cheeks growing redder by the minute. His heart felt like it was going to explode at any minute. As Kokichi remained in his arms, unmoved, Shuichi finally broke their silence. "Uhm, you've got flour on your cheek."

 He slowly released Kokichi, his finger and arm now left bare without Kokichi's warmth. Kokichi remained quiet until he touched an extra piece of flour that was left on his scarf. He placed it near his lips before looking at a now flustered Shuichi. "I have more on me."

“Shumai, come on! You have to go with us! It’ll be so much fun!” He exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with joy. Shuichi leaned back a bit, taken by surprise by his intensity. Kokichi had been begging him for months so join him and the others when they go clubbing. And now that he’s of the legal drinking age, that begging has only increased. Shuichi wasn’t much of a drinker. The first time he tried alcohol, he didn’t like the bitter taste it gave off. He didn’t get how Kokichi could down a whole bottle without gagging. He guessed it just wasn’t for him.

Shuichi bit his lip, staring down at Kokichi who had been glaring him down since he entered the room. His cheeks grew a tad flushed from the close proximity they were in. His eyes averted to the side, “Why? You know I don’t like alcohol.” He finally spoke, his throat cracking a bit. Kokichi frowned. He stepped down from his toes, moving into a crossed arm stance. He felt his body become colder as he moved away. His heart was now at rest as it, thankfully, had begun beating slower.

“I know that! They have fruity drinks too that I’m sure you’ll like. Just— please . Please come? For me?” His arms unfolded as his shoulders had begun to seemingly shrink. His lips had curled themselves into a pleading quiver. Shuichi could barely keep his eyes on him at this point. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to turn Kokichi down now. Not with the way he’s looking at him. A few silent moments had passed before a loud, exasperated sigh escaped Shuichi’s lips. “Ugh, fine! I’ll go…” Shuichi was always a sucker for those puppy dog eyes Kokichi gave. It was his ultimate weakness.

Once those amethyst eyes matched with his, he could feel his body shut down and go into autopilot; he had no control over his heart in those moments. It was as though Ouma knew that too. Kokichi grinned, his eyes leaving behind creases near his lids. “Yay!” He jumped up, wrapping his hands around Shuichi’s neck. Shuichi tumbled a bit at the sudden movement just before he could steady himself. He grew totally helpless, melting into the warmth beneath him. His arms moved towards his back, hugging the body back with ease. A smile had crept its way onto his lips before he could protest any further. “And you’ll drink?”

“A bit, yeah.”

“Good.”

Shuichi sent him a reassuring smile.

“Okay, I’ll get going now. I’ll text you the address, just be sure to be ready.”

His arms released him, his shoulders now feeling bare. Kokichi’s grin remained untouched as his face inched away from the male, his usual shorter stature returning. He shot Shuichi finger guns, sending him a wink. Shuichi’s cheeks grew heated once more as he waved him goodbye. “Okay, I will. Thanks.” Kokichi made his way out of the door, his windows shaking a bit from the door being shut.

Well, this was great.

At least he’d be with Kokichi. To him, that’s all that really mattered. He didn’t mind if he drank a bit but it would be worth it to see Kokichi smiling and having a fun time. His smile was contagious. Shuichi sighed, checking the time on his phone. He headed upstairs and decided to get dressed.

-

Music blasted from every corner. The club was surrounded by lights and swarms of people. The group entered excitedly, each and everyone of them smiling like there’s no tomorrow. Kaede leads the group, pointing to a table near the bar. “Over there!” The group could barely hear her over the loud music but understood what she meant when she had begun to move towards the table’s direction.

Shuichi couldn’t help but stare at Kokichi. The fluorescent lights hit his face so nicely, giving him a beautiful and youthful glow. His heart jumped as he noticed the boy smile so happily. This was definitely worth it. The group grabbed their seats, even taking a few from empty tables since they didn’t have enough. “Let’s get drinks?” Kaede recommended, pointing to the bar beside them. Majority of the group nodded or verbally answered, while Shuichi remained silent. The blonde smiled, standing up from her seat, her dress sliding down a bit. Shuichi remained still as he watched the group all stand up and get their respective drinks, all except for Kokichi.

He stayed, his eyes practically glued on him. Shuichi thanked god that the room was dimly lit. “Aren’t you getting something, Kokichi?”

“Nah, I kinda feel a bit icky so I think I’ll wait.”

His elbows placed themselves on the table top, his fingers making a bridge to hold his cheek as he continued staring at Shuichi. “You don’t have to lie, Kokichi.” He felt guilt pool at the bottom of his stomach. In actuality, he was technically lying to Kokichi, wasn’t he? He did say he was going to drink after all. Kokichi shot him a halfhearted smile, “Hehe, caught again.”

They shared a moment of comfortable silence before Kokichi finally spoke up. “Hey, Shumai.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure you’re comfortable?”

He hesitated, biting his lip. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Really? You don’t look like you’re "fine.”“ He should’ve known that Kokichi would’ve caught on to his act. It scared him how well he could read people. The music boomed in his ears, different genres of songs played over and over again. He felt dizzy. Before Shuichi could open his mouth, the group had came back. They all had drinks in their hands, some full and some half full. Shuichi felt himself shrink in his seat as the group made their way to the table.

Rantaro, seemingly tipsy already, nudged Shuichi on the side with a sleek smile. "Hey, Shuichi. Aren’t you getting something? Want some of mine?” The green haired male offered his beverage towards Shuichi, the smell intoxicating his nose before it could even get near his face. Shuichi grew increasingly uncomfortable, and Kokichi could see it. “Leave him alone, Amami.” Kokichi stepped in, inching his sit closer to Shuichi to push Rantaro’s drink away.

He gave an apologetic smile, throwing his hands in the air to show he’d do as told. Kokichi nudged Shuichi lightly to show he had his back. Shuichi smiled back the boy to let him know he was okay. “Guess I’ll go get mine. You guys leave Shumai alone or else I’ll beat your ass! Remember, I’m an evil leader!” He waved off to the group before reluctantly leaving.

Shuichi’s heart grew warm. He never knew that Kokichi would be so protective of him. His heart raced as he traced back to a few minutes ago. Now that he’s thought about it, Kokichi never really pressures Shuichi to do things he doesn’t want to do. He’s patient with him and understanding. He may not always show it but he really appreciated that. Maybe it was time for him to at least keep his promise?

Shuichi tapped Rantaro, briefly interrupting him and his talk with Miu who was already on her fifth drink. His action brought the attention of everyone at the table. His lips moved into a smile, “Mind if I get a drink?” The table cheered at his sudden change of heart. Kaede and Kaito had begun drumming on the table excitedly while Miu screamed at the top of her lungs with joy. “Finally, Pooichi! ‘Bout time you take a few shots with us, you fucking lameass!”

Shuichi couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh as Rantaro handed him the glass. He held the drink in his hand, giving it a quick sniff. It didn’t smell too bad, not like the first drinks he’s had. Shuichi gulped, glancing around at his group of friends as all of their eyes were on him. “Do it! Do it! Do it!” They had all began to chant slowly. The pressure increased on him. His heart had been filled with adrenaline. Fuck it.

Without a second thought, he tossed the entirety of the glass’ contents into his mouth and down his throat. The fruity yet somewhat bitter drink fizzed down in his stomach. It tasted like juice, except it was more fuzzy and bubbly inside of him. The table cheered him on, even giving him a few slaps on the shoulder for his effort. Shuichi wiped his mouth, a grin on his lips. This one didn’t actually taste that bad. He wouldn’t mind another glass of that.

“Kokichi’s been gone awhile. I wonder if he’s okay?”

Kaede nudged him lightly, “Why don’t you go check on him, lover boy?” She winked at him suggestively. Her comment made Shuichi blush, embarrassed by his other friends who were acting like a bunch of middle school girls at a sleepover. “Rantaro, what was that drink you had? I think I’ll get another one.” Shuichi asked, completely ignoring Kaede’s previous comment. He laughed, “Flyin’ Hawaiian.”

Shuichi felt like giggling. Why did alcohols have such funny names?

He nodded and shot up from his seat, stumbling over a bit. He let out a few messy giggles before reassuring everyone he was okay. “Go get him, Shu!” Kaito yelled from across the club as his now “slightly” drunken legs had carried him across to the bar. Shuichi flipped Kaito off, a drunken laugh escaping him. Shuichi took an empty seat at the bar island. “One Flyin’ Hawaiian please.” A hiccup begged for an escape, but Shuichi swallowed it down before it could leave.

The bartender nodded, her hands already beginning to pour and make the drink. Shuichi took the opportunity to look around the scene. He could see multiple people dancing sloppily, their bodies heated and sweaty. The atmosphere seemingly had changed. He no longer felt uneasy. Oh no, he was damn proud of himself. He drank for god’s sakes! He never drinks. In fact, he felt so proud of himself, he wanted to share it with Kokichi. While the bartender was making his drink, he decided to look around for the missing purple haired male.

After a bit of searching, he finally spotted him. His cheeks were slightly flushed from the alcohol, but goddamn did he look cute. Shuichi’s head grew light as his feet had seemingly carried themselves over to him. He stopped in his tracks, only a few feet away from Ouma as he noticed a strange man walk in his direction. Shuichi furrowed his eyebrows, not sure who this man was or if he could be trusted. Shuichi got closer as he noticed the man begin to chat up Kokichi. He wasn’t close enough where he could be spotted but close enough to hear their conversation.

“Hey, mind if I buy you a drink?”

“Depends. If I accept said drink, will you expect something from me later?”

The man laughed, shaking his head. His eyes changed into a more flirtier glance. “Haha, it doesn’t have to. Unless, that’s what you want.” Shuichi heard the words the stranger spoke. Something inside him really didn’t like the way he stared at him like a piece of meat. It was gross. His stomach churned at the sight of the man as he placed his hands on his leg. Kokichi laughed nervously, taking another sip of his half empty glass. “So, what’s a pretty thing like you doing here alone?” He rubbed his thigh lustfully, clearly wanting to advance things further.

Shuichi didn’t like this guy. Who did he think he was? Kokichi was clearly uncomfortable. His lips sprouted into a pout, his arms crossed. “I’m not alone. I’m actually with a group of friends.” He chuckled softly, his eyes kept staring at his hand, waiting for him to move it. “Oh? So why are you drinking alone?”

“I have a lot on my mind. Look, you’re nice and all but I’m not really interested.”

“Oh come on. Don’t be like that. Besides, I’m sure your friends wouldn’t mind if we were to just sneak out of this place.” The man inched his way closer, his grubby hands contaminating Kokichi’s pure skin. Shuichi had nearly had enough. As his friend, he couldn’t let this man do this. Not now, not ever. Shuichi angrily stomped over to the pair. “I said no.”

The man laughed, his thumb now rubbing his bottom lip. “Just you wait. You’ll feel good in no time—”

Shuichi did the unthinkable. He grabbed a random discarded drink, dumping the rest of its contents on the disgusting pervert’s head. “He said no, so fuck off.” Shuichi didn’t know what was up with him. He rarely cursed. He didn’t know if it was due to the alcohol or the terrified look on Kokichi’s face that really grinded his gears. He wanted to make him hurt . He wanted to beat the living shit out of him for even laying a finger on Kokichi. Kokichi, with tearful eyes, looked up at a fuming Shuichi. Shuichi set the glass down as the man wiped the liquor from his eyes. “And who the hell are you?”

“I should be asking you that question.” Shuichi hissed as the man stood up. Despite the obvious height difference they had, Shuichi held his ground, remaining unfazed. “Why don’t you fuck off? Are you his boyfriend or something?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I’ll allow you to lay your fucking hands on him. So, no. It’s you who should fuck off.” He challenged, his fists now balling, all of the anger he felt before revealing itself. Kokichi stood up so things wouldn’t escalate further. “O-okay, S-Shuichi, why don’t we just get out of here?” In all of Kokichi’s years of knowing Shuichi, he had never seen him so pissed. Even if Shuichi was a lot slimmer and shorter than the man, he was scared of what he’d do. Kokichi could smell the alcohol on him. He definitely needed to get them out fast. Kokichi wrapped his hands around his shoulder, tugging at it lightly as he urged him to leave. “Yeah—Let’s go.”

“Uh-huh. Not so fast. I’m not done talking to you get.” Before they could escape, the man had grabbed ahold of Kokichi’s arm, dragging him towards his body. His grip was strong and hurt a lot. “Ow…” He whimpered quietly, making sure to do it quietly, not wanting to set off Shuichi. “Fucking let him go. Right now.” He stepped forward, his hand wrapped around Kokichi’s other arm. He tugged him forward as the tension grew. Kokichi bit his lip, thanking god for his short height. He elbowed the man right in his crotch as hard as he could, his grip instantly loosening as he crippled over. He squirmed free, “Come on, hurry.” Kokichi grabbed Shuichi by the hand as he led him outside to the smoking area. Shuichi glanced down at his hand while they ran through the crowds of people. His heart raced loudly as his grey eyes remained fixated on their hands. His tiny, warm hands.

Kokichi opened the door, quickly glancing around to make sure the area was empty. Thankfully, it was. Before Shuichi could apologize, he was pushed against the wall by Kokichi. “What the fuck?! What were you thinking? Did you drink? You definitely drank! Alright, who gave it to you?! I’ll beat their ass right here, right now!”

“Kokichi—”

“No! You couldn’t be any more reckless! I do stupid shit, yeah, but you don’t have to up me! If anything, keep being your usual self. Don’t pull stunts like this, idiot!”

“Kokichi… Please let me talk.”

Kokichi inhaled deeply, trying to soothe himself. He moved his palm from the wall, crossing his arms. “Sorry, sorry. Go ahead.”

“I… I drank myself. It was my own choice to do it. No one forced me.”

“Really? Why? I thought you didn’t like alcohol.”

“I don’t.” He chuckled, giving Kokichi a softened smile. “I drank it because I promised you I would. What’s the point of going to a club if you’re not going to drink?”

Kokichi felt himself sink into a sea of guilt. He didn’t mean to pressure him into drinking. He would have been fine if he didn’t drink at all. “Why were you so angry earlier? That was so unlike you, Shumai.”

“I—I wasn't… angry… That bastard wouldn’t leave you alone.”

“Shumai. My beloved, sweet Shumai. You never curse like that. Were you by any chance jealous of him?” Was he? Shuichi knew he liked Kokichi— loved him really—but never experienced such intense emotions towards someone like that. Sure he felt a little jealous whenever he’d cling onto Rantaro or Kiibo but he knew (or at least he hoped,) that he didn’t like them in that way. Seeing someone totally new being all over Kokichi like that made him worry. It fucking scared him. What if Kokichi had actually liked him? What if they did something together and ended up falling in love? Shuichi didn’t like it. Who knew what this guy was like in reality?

“Shuichi, were you jealous? You’re taking awhile to answer.”

“Whatever; I’m not jealous.”

“You are! You totally are!” Kokichi giggled, shaking a know reddened Shuichi by his elbows. Kokichi opened up his clenched arms before replacing them with his own. “Shumai, you have no reason to be jealous. Wanna know why?” He asked, his eyes looking up at Shuichi. His chin was now resting on his chest, “Why?” He quietly questioned, his voice cracking a bit. He could honestly die of embarrassment. Right here, right now. In Kokichi’s arms. “Because,” Without any warning, Kokichi tiptoed his way to his face. Shuichi stared down at the grinning gremlin as he continued to grin from ear to ear. Kokichi pressed their lips together, making sure Shuichi couldn’t protest or stall him any further. Shuichi let out a surprised gasp as his eyes widened as he eventually melted into the kiss.

Wrapping his hands around Kokichi, he felt his tongue slip inside his mouth. He couldn’t believe he was kissing Kokichi, and he was kissing back. He couldn’t count how many times he’s dreamt of this exact moment and here he was, drunkenly kissing the love of his life. Kokichi pulled away for a breathe, licking his lips lustfully. Shuichi remained breathless as the boy wiped a bit of stray salvia from his chin. Kokichi made his way towards his ear, “Let’s get back to the others and continue this later.” Shuichi felt his warm breath on his ear, sending shivers down his spine. Shuichi blindly nodded, following Kokichi back inside still in a dazed state. Kokichi laughed lowly as he wrapped his hand around Shuichi’s.